


Tiskets, Taskets, and Tristans

by RavenDark



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-16 02:04:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7247731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenDark/pseuds/RavenDark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taken from the page of one of my favorite episodes…  It's that time of the year again and Rory's up on auction again.  Tristan visits home from military school and as much as he would like to forget a certain brunette, he can't.  What is it about these two that we love so much?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was the first Trory I ever attempted. I wanted to stay very close to the format of the show, so this story was limited to four chapters with a few scene changes in between. Minor edits aside, this is the original format of how this story was meant to be read. I would love some feedback on what you think of it. 
> 
> Thank you for reading it, Rd

**Tiskets, Taskets and Tristans**

**Raven Dark**  
 

***   *   *   ***

"Tell me again why I have to do this?" Rory asked picking up a basket from the pile market with a worn sign that read _sale._

"Because you've been doing this since you could lift a basket with both hands…" Lorelai answered not batting an eye.

"And isn't that enough time of servitude?"

"You're in Stars Hollow hon," Rory's mother looked up feigning a motherly instinct, "it's a life sentence."

"Yes, but it was one thing when I didn't know any better, I'm older" Rory pressed, "Now it just makes me feel like a street walker on display"

"Then call Taylor Miss Kitty hon. He wouldn't take _no_ for an answer."

"Oww…" Rory resigned to one more year of embarrassment, then noticing her mother's own lack of complaint asked, "Why aren't you whining about having to do this? I usually have to drag you kicking and screaming to the auction block"

"Ah yes, the summer of 02…" Lorelai sighed, "Good times… I have a plan this year."

"Are our sprinklers acting up again?" Rory asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well they have been making a gurglelly sound when the water is running but—"

"And are you going to do the ol' _Oh! I dropped my pen_ routine when Roy Wilkins comes over?" Rory started wide-eyed.

"Ah… No, I—"

"Oh! You can wear that purple skirt that does that flippy thing when you twirl…"

"Ror"

"Without underwear on…" Rory pressed.

"Okay! …you're your mother's daughter." Lorelai snapped amused.

"Hey that hurt!" Rory stopped soberly.

"I can only call it like I see it sister"

"It still hurt…" she said pouting as she picked up another basket.

"Not that one"

"Why not?"

"Doesn't match your nails" Lorelai said not looking up.

"Oww…" Rory set the basket down. This was going to be a long day.

 

***   *   *   ***

 

The Dugrey residence had the atmosphere of an old museum. Cold, vast and eerily quiet it gave off just the right message, _you're not welcome_. Indeed the only sounds heard by no one in particular at the moment were the soft footfalls of finely polished Italian loafers on short-shagged carpeting. James, more at home in the grounds of the expansive compound than in his own house made his way confidently though the giant walkways to the study where he was sure to find his target. Sure enough in the darkened room amidst books ten times his age, slumped on a leather chair like a gluttonous king on his throne he found the young man he had all but raised.

"Mr. Tristan" The butler said confidently as he walked over to the young man, the smell of eighteen-year-old scotch lingered in the air, a half empty crystal decanter rested by the young man's side.

"Good morning James."

James had to give the boy credit, only a Dugray would have the finesse to make such a large notch on the bottle of the very expensive scotch and not even have a slur to his voice, on an empty stomach no less.

"It is hardly morning Tristan, it will be eleven soon, the rest of the house has been up and busy for hours, lunch is being prepared."

Tristan nodded slowly, methodically, as if the thoughts in his head needed some time to sort themselves out.

"Do you have any kids James?" Tristan asked slowly, deliberately.

"Yes sir," said the butler patiently, "I have a son, Morigan the second, after his grandfather. You bought him a two thousand dollar watch for his twelfth birthday last month."

Tristan remembered, and awkwardly looked up,

"Too much?"

"A bicycle would have been more appropriate sir" said the butler slightly amused, Tristan's personality showed through the mask of alcohol sobriety.

"Sorry… Tag is _in_ this season," he said holding up his own five thousand dollar version, "I just assumed… I'll make it up to him."

"No need, he already idolizes the ground you walk on, though I can't figure out why."

"Talk about me much _do_ you?" Tristan said breaking out his signature smirk.

"It is hard not to."

"Where is he now?" Tristan asked raising an eyebrow.

"In the Harrow County School for Boys, a fine institution" The old friend said proudly.

"Do you miss him?" Tristan asked with a softer voice.

"More than I care to admit to."

"When do you see him again?" Tristan shifted in his chair to give James his full attention.

"Not until January I'm afraid," the grown man replied suddenly understanding the reasons behind Tristan's distressing self-seclusion, "you father is having him flown here to spend a month with me before flying him back to his mother."

"Of course," Tristan said bitterly, "can't spend the time or money to see his own son but he'll fly yours halfway across the country. Tell me James, would you have sent your son away like I was if he had done something similar?"

It bothered James to see Tristan this way, he had raised the boy, he fed him as a child, cleaned his cuts and scrapes when he fell, and put him to sleep at nights reading to him from the Iliad as was done to Alexander the Great. Seeing that he was not his father however, he had to respect the boundaries that were imposed on him, and this bothered him now more than ever before.

"Hard to say Tristan"

"Try" The young man pressed looking at his old friend in the eye.

"Were you my son, Mr. Tristan," the butler said putting emphasis on the word _Mr_. for Tristan's sake, "I do not believe I would have."

"No?" Tristan asked with a half smile.

"No, were you my son I would have skinned you half alive for pulling off a stunt like that." the butler said firmly, forgetting boundaries for just a second. Tristan winced but smiled approvingly none-the-less.

"I was surprised that you didn't."

"If your father had not been in the room with us, I probably would have."

"I know." Tristan nodded thinking back on that night.

"So how much more moping are you planning on doing? You only have a couple of days here. I'm sure there are places you'd rather be than here in your father's office"

"Where would I go James?" Tristan said, his eyes shining revealing their age for the first time since he'd arrived two nights ago.

"Aren't you at all curious about _her_?" James said slowly putting emphasis on just the right words.

"Who?" Tristan tested his friend; the eighteen-year-old scotch swirled in his head.

"The one girl you've been pining over from before your sudden departure. I hear she is doing quite well."

"You kept tabs on her for me?"

"Contrary to popular belief, my world does not revolve around you Mr. Dugray!" James exclaimed in mock insult stepping back, "As insignificant as it may be, I too have a life!"

Tristan looked at his friend to finish the rest of his sentence. James did not disappoint,

"I had someone else check on her from time to time."

"You know, my father would be furious to learn of Dugray funds being used this way." Tristan said with a proud smile, "Come, tell me all about it!"

"All in due time Tristan; for now, let me just find a suitable home for this," James reached over grabbing the crystal decanter, "while Adrianne brings you a spot of coffee."

"James." Tristan called out standing up. The room spun.

"Yes sir?" The butler held his breath, he was so proud of the young man it took incredible restraint to not go to him and hug him. Tristan was sorely missed in the house.

"I don't think I said it when I arrived… It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too Tristan, welcome home. I'll send Adrianne here promptly," the butler turned to the door and took two steps before hearing a loud crash behind him. He turned in time to see Tristan sprawled on the floor having missed the chair by a significant amount, "Oh boy… I think that will be _two_ spots of coffee to say the least." He said shaking his head while trying to hide the smile forming on his face.

Tristan got up only mildly embarrassed; James had seen him through much worse. He straightened out his shirt and pants before sitting down on the leather chair again turning it to look out the giant window behind the desk. The sky was a solid blue with no signs of clouds to be seen. As he got lost in his thoughts he willed himself not to think of her. He hadn't said her name out loud in months and would keep it that way if possible. As if hearing her name spoken would bring back a reality that he wasn't ready to deal with yet. He tried to think up the name of a girl he had met in a shady looking joint by the school but he couldn't. He remembered the way she had stuffed her tongue halfway down his throat before writing down her phone number on his forearm in eyeliner. When he got home he scrubbed the number off his skin and went to bed angry with himself. Why could he not stop thinking about _her_?

"Um… Mr. Tristan?" a soft feminine voice behind him. Adrianne, one of the many young ladies brought in at his father's directions. She had easily spent more time with his father in her first thirty days of employment than he had his entire life. As Adrianne leaned over to pour coffee on a finely sculpted china cup, Tristan curiously ran his hand up the back of her thigh, underneath her skirt, finally resting on her ass. Though she stiffened at the intrusion, Adrianne was neither surprised nor realistically offended; Tristan was _his_ father's son after all.

"You're wearing underwear Adrianne, not expecting my father anytime soon?"

"No," Adrianne answered stiffly yet professionally, not meeting his gaze, "Mr. Dugray is away on business, he is not expected back for a couple of more weeks."

"Of course" Tristan patted her ass before dropping his hand on the desk in front of him. He picked up the cup and took a sip of the hot bitter coffee wincing as the hot liquid traveled down his raw throat. _How did Rory drink this stuff?_

Rory.

So much for not thinking about her.

"Adrianne," Tristan said looking at the very attractive maid, his father really did have good taste, "I'd like to go for a drive."

***   *   *   ***


	2. Chapter 2

***   *   *   ***

"Where is my mother?" Rory asked pacing near the auction block where Taylor was making his best impression of an auctioneer.

"I don't know," answered Sookie at her side, "I lost her at the bend"

"We have a bend?"

"…Thank you!" Taylor completed a bid, "…now this one may not look like much…"

"That's hers!" Rory pointed.

"Where could she be?" Sookie looked around at all the people in the center.

"I'm gonna kill her!"

"Can we start the bidding at five dollars?" Taylor announced but no one spoke up, "No? How about two fifty? Remember this is for charity people!"

"Five dollars!" a muffled voice from the back cried out.

"Now were talking!" Taylor looked up at the crowd, "We have five, do I hear seven?"

"Seven!" the same voice from the back.

"Umm… Seven it is," a confused Taylor continued, "do I hear ten?"

"Ten!" the same voice again.

"Oh no" Rory deduced

"What?" Sookie asked innocently but just as quick figured it out too, "Oh…"

"Excuse me sir, but I don't think you understand how this works" Taylor squinted his eyes to better see the person bidding in the back.

"Fifteen!" the same voice pressed on behind a fisherman's hat.

Mrs. Patty made her way towards the back.

"Seventeen!"

Mrs. Patty unmasked the mysterious, confused bidder hardly surprising anyone.

"Twenty?" Lorelai asked all the disapproving looks before slumping her shoulders in resignation, "Oww…"

"That was you great plan?!" Rory asked her mother when Lorelai made her way towards the girls.

"It almost worked!" Sookie said encouraging.

"Yeah… I got greedy."

"Now, well, if we can continue, "Taylor asked looking at Lorelai pointedly, "I think we were at two fifty for this basket?"

"Ten bucks" Luke came to the rescue.

"Sold!" Taylor slammed his gabble before any further interruptions could pop up.

"My hero!" Lorelai cried out in mock swoon…

During the commotion, nobody noticed the sleek silver sports car that pulled into viewing distance. Tristan looked on with mild amusement. He recognized half of the people from one of the previous times he had made the trip so he was pretty sure that Rory would be around there too, somewhere… His head was throbbing slightly from where he hit it getting into the car, stupid Lexus… Tristan pressed the button by the door and the window rolled down smoothly letting the sounds of the town enter…

"Sold! To the gentleman in the yellow!"

"I have a name," Kirk walked up to the podium, "you _know_ my name."

"Fine," Taylor answered annoyed, "sold to _Kirk_ for seventeen fifty… Now here we have…"

Tristan spotted Rory just in time to see her point to the basket and then herself.

Rory

Blood rushed to his ears as his stomach tightened and flipped a couple of times.

"Five dollars!" a voice called from the crowd.

"We have five dollars!" Taylor roared, "Do we hear ten?"

"Ten dollars!" a different voice, a young man Rory did not recognize.

"What's going on?" Rory looked around confused, "Where did these people come from?"

"Fifteen!"

"Oh no… Miss Patty…" Lorelai remembered.

"Do those guys _have pictures_ of me?!" Rory gasped.

"…Twenty five dollars!" came another voice.

"We have twenty five dollars!" Taylor pressed.

"No!" Rory tried to no avail.

"Thirty dollars!" yet another voice, possibly the same that bid the first five.

"Wait!" Rory cried to no one in particular.

"Forty five!" definitely a new voice somewhere in the back.

"Stop it!" Rory pointed at the crowd angrily. Somewhere in the back Lorelai stifled a laugh.

"A hundred dollars!" came a voice even further from the back shutting everybody up.

"Whaa…?" Miss Patty drawled out craning her neck to see. She had said fifty dollars, that was the limit! _Why couldn't people follow directions!_

"Who's that?" Lorelai asked though Rory could not really say. She squinted her eyes trying to see… something about the tousled hair looked familiar to her.

Tristan at the other end of the crowd grew impatient thinking his offer was being taken for granted, "Two hundred dollars!"

The murmuring of the crowd pleased him. Surely he'd been noticed now. Sure enough, he had to smile when he noticed recognition dawn on Rory's beautiful face. Taylor, who thought the whole thing was just another of Lorelai's childish pranks was not amused.

"Now listen here young man! This is a serious event! We are trying to raise money for—"

"Three hundred!" Tristan called out not batting an eye. Rory looked around confused.

"No! Taylor wait!"

"Who is that hon?" Lorelai worried. Sookie looked on enthralled.

"Wait here" Rory said walking away from her mother.

"Hon!"

"It's Tristan" Rory breathed out offering no further words before disappearing into the very curious crowd.

"Who?" Rory heard Sookie ask innocently…

"Do you understand" Taylor admonished, "That these are _American_ dollars you are calling out young man?!"

When Taylor noticed Tristan ducking into his car he snidely commented to Kirk who stood next to him pawing his basket, "I thought so… kids these days… so disrespectful…"

Taylor however did not notice Tristan coming out of his car again, jacket in hand. Nor did Taylor notice Tristan taking out a slim checkbook from the chest pocket of the jacket,

"Four hundred dollars!" Tristan slammed four crisp new bills on the hood of his car. He noticed Rory gaining on him. He hoped this little game with the overgrown Keebler elf was drawing to a close.

Indeed, the second Kirk noticed the bills lying on the hood of the car he grabbed Taylor's gable and yelled out, "Sold!"

"What are you doing here?" Rory broke through the crowd. People all around them fought between listening in on the mystery man with the flashy car or watching Taylor yell at Kirk, " _…I am Official town auctioneer and I am the only one who can officially…_ "

"Is that how you say hello to an old friend?" Tristan tried out his most composed stance.

"You're drunk!" Rory pulled back smelling the alcohol on his skin.

"Probably" Tristan said matter-of-factly, so much for _composed_.

Rory looked around at the people watching them, " _…furthermore! As the official town auctioneer…_ " then grabbed Tristan pulling him away from the throng by the arm.

"Well I did suspect that you missed me, but in public, right in front of —"

"Didn't you get sent away? How did you get out?" Rory asked her visitor roughly pushing him behind a tree.

"It's military school Mary, not jail." Tristan spat out brushing bits of bark from his shoulders, "They _do_ let you come home to spend some time with the _house help_ every once in a while."

"Fine, but what are you doing here?!" she hissed accusingly.

"Participating in some small town fundraising? What's in that basket anyway?" Tristan raised an eyebrow.

"You've got to be kidding me?" Rory was not amused. Her eyes were filled with a frustrated hatred Tristan had only seen too many times before.

"Right… and obviously getting the same welcome I received at home." Tristan said soberly. Straightening himself he turned around and started to walk back to his car.

"This was a mistake" He said more to himself than anyone within earshot. Rory saw something in his eyes that she didn't quite recognize. _Second chance_? Hardly, but she _had_ jumped the gun just now.

"Tristan" He didn't stop.

"Tristan wait!" Rory cried out annoyed but Tristan did not slow down, the money slipped and fell on the floor unceremoniously, "What about the auction!"

"I'll pick you up at seven thirty. Wear black." He called not breaking his stride, _okay, maybe it wasn't such a mistake_ …

"It's supposed to be a picnic lunch!" Rory stamped her foot in frustration but he was already in his car, which pulled out smoothly with barely a sound leaving an astonished crowd behind which promptly turned to the other spectacle before them, " _If you ever touch my gable again!…_ "

 

***   *   *   ***

 

"But it's Tristan, Lex Luthor's son Tristan? The original Hellboy and not that horny thing with the really bad sunburn?!"

"Yup" Rory's muffled voice broke through from inside her room.

"Okay… what am I missing?" Lorelai asked the door.

Rory's head appeared in the doorway,

"He paid four hundred dollars."

"For a lunch he forfeited by leaving!"

"Four hundred dollars" Rory pressed.

"But it's Tristan, make-your-life-a-living-hell Tristan! Didn't he get sent away? When did he get out? _How_ did he get out? Did he do a Steve McQueen in The Great Escape? Oh! Did you check his pants for dirt?!"

"It's military school mom," Rory had disappeared back into her room, "not jail"

"Why do I still feel like I am missing a piece of the puzzle?"

"Mom, I'd say _a couple_ of pieces short." Rory called out from her room.

"Tristan…you sure?"

"Four hundred dollars!" Rory voice came loudly.

"Okay Heidi!" Lorelai gave up.

"Heidi?" Rory's head popped out the door again.

"Fleiss" her mom explained.

"Eww! Have you been watching Lifetime again?"

"It's television, for women…" Lorelai said seriously mocking the commercial.

"I'm calling the Cable Company tomorrow" Rory said coming out of her room.

" _What_ are you wearing?" Lorelai asked the sexy young lady before her.

"He said to wear black" Rory looked down at herself innocently.

"That's not black, that's _come hither_ black!"

"You're crazy!" Rory turned to go pour herself some coffee. Lorelai gasped loudly.

"Why don't I see panty lines?" Lorelai pointed.

"Wha?!" Rory choked on her coffee.

"I don't see panty lines," Lorelai furrowed her eyebrows, "what kind of underwear are you wearing to go out with boy mommy-no-like?"

"I'm not having this conversation with you! Stop staring at my butt!"

"Cause everybody knows you only break out the good stuff if you expect the other person to… _Are_ you wearing underwear?"

"Oh my God!"

"Lift up your dress!"

"I'm leaving!" Rory turned away from her crazy mother and went for her coat.

"Isn't he picking you up?" Lorelai downshifted to mother mode.

"Yes, but I'm not risking having him run into the psychotic lunatic that has taken over the body of my mother! I'm waiting outside!" Rory opened the door widely to catch an unsuspecting Tristan mid-knock. Suppressing the surprise in record time, Tristan smiled his most genuine,

"Mary…"

"Well there's that refreshing pet name!" Lorelai appeared at the door, "How could I have forgotten!"

"Mrs. Gilmore" Tristan acknowledged with a slight nod.

"You get three kid," Lorelai stepped back to let Tristan in, "and unless you're introducing my mother who you've brought with you, you've just used up two"

"Excuse me?"

"Ahem…" Rory frowned at her mother from behind Tristan as she draped her coat over her arm.

"Right…" Lorelai snapped out of it, "God the two of you look great together… so dressed up… you both look ready for the opera."

"Where are we going?" Rory asked raising an eyebrow.

"The opera" Tristan answered matter-of-factly.

"Huh?" Lorelai's brain pinged.

"Really?" Rory eyed Tristan suspiciously… _where was the catch_?

"The Connecticut Opera House in Hartford is currently playing Rigoletto" Tristan offered the two women eyeing him.

"As in old Italian grampa with the funky smell?" Lorelai tried.

"No," Rory corrected, "as in the story of a young Duke who uses his power, money and influence to seduce women ruining their lives…"

"How morbidly appropriate…" Lorelai breathed out to herself turning away from the kids.

Rory noticed the frown on Tristan's face, "We should go"

Tristan nodded, "Mrs…" he began but caught Lorelai's death glare and decided not to finish that sentence, "Ummm…"

"Just call me Lorelai" the woman offered.

"Right… Nice to meet you, Lorelai"

"Ditto kid, like having a mole removed… have fun you two." Lorelai closed the door before walking to see them off from the window, "God… They _did_ look good together…"

 

***   *   *   ***

 

"Your mother thinks we look good together…" Tristan smiled his most charming as he settled into his seat and starting the car in one fluid motion.

"She also thinks puce is the new pink." Rory answered not amused

"We could go back and ask her to elaborate?"

"Are we really going to the opera?" Rory countered with a suspicious frown.

"Yes… unless you'd rather be doing something much more entertaining instead…" Tristan couldn't help the corners of his lips from curling.

"Glad to see the distance hasn't changed you" Rory spat feigning indifference, though seeing that smile once more brought butterflies into her stomach.

"Oh but quite the contrary my sweetest Mary… It has done me a world of good… made me really appreciate the finer things in life…"

"Doing many wine commercials now?"

"Is that your way of telling me that you would like some?" Tristan smiled, he couldn't help but fall back into his old routine.

"7.2 seconds" Rory looked at him flatly.

"What?" Tristan raised an eyebrow.

"7.2 seconds. It has taken you exactly 7.2 seconds to get on my nerves."

"You're warming up to me…" another smile, "it used to only take me 3."

"You're impossible. You know that?!" Rory suddenly could not understand why she thought this would be anything but the nightmare it seemed steered on becoming.

"I'm getting a vibe that tells me I should hold off in picking out the china?" Tristan continued.

"The China, the Japan, the North Korea, go ahead and pick any of them that will take you."

""You've been hanging out with Paris," Tristan recognized the bite in Rory's words, "How is the old girl doing?"

"Why don't you call her up and see for yourself? I'm sure she has plenty to tell you."

"Too much really," he said suddenly thoughtful, "last time I spoke to her she was furious with me. I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of punishment."

"Why are you here Tristan?" Rory asked.

"I thought that was obvious" Tristan snapped back into character.

"Enlighten me."

"I've missed you Rory, you're all I've thought about since the day I left. From the moment I wake until the moment I—"

"You do not miss me Tristan." Rory exhaled loudly, "Sure, I'm sure you miss Chilton, I'm sure you even miss driving me crazy, annoying me to no end, making my life a living hell… but you do not _miss me_."

"Is that what you really think?" Tristan tore his eyes away from the road for a second to see her face.

"What else would I think?" Rory met his eyes with indignation.

"This _was_ a mistake… I'll just take you home then…" Tristan swallowed.

"Yes! Thank You!"

As Tristan slowed the car nearing an intersection, Rory felt the victory diluting away. She really hadn't given this a fair shot. She was being a bitch for no reason… and Tristan looked incredible…

_Where had that come from?_

"No" she said exasperated.

"What?" Tristan snapped clearly annoyed

"You don't have to take me home…" Rory avoided his eyes. She felt them piercing right into her.

"Where to then…" Tristan spat out tight-lipped as he straightened out the wheel once more.

"What do you want Tristan?" Rory tried again.

"To take you to the opera" He said simply, no flourish in his words.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"…okay" Rory said meekly, a little embarrassed at herself.

"Okay." Tristan said flatly driving on.

Tristan drove on privately seething, he had half a mind to stop the car and tell her to get out. He had forgotten how quickly she could under his skin. Any other girl would have run over their mothers to be where Rory was sitting. Then again, what did he expect from her, to run into his arms professing her love to him? Highly doubtful, shit, he didn't even know if she was still with seeing that pathetic bag boy.

The thought of Dean waiting at Rory's door brought a smile to his face. Tristan stole a quick glance at Rory when she wasn't looking. _Damn_ , he thought. She looked beautiful… his memories didn't do her justice… she looked better, more radiant, sharp, and incredibly sexy. Paris had obviously been a good influence on her. Tristan entertained the thought of Rory and Paris… Alone, in the confines of Chilton's foreboding walls, but quickly squashed the thought deciding that Ms. Gilmore here riding next to him was only meant for him, not to be shared with anyone… at least for now. He had his work cut out for him. Too bad he had wasted so much time wallowing back home…

_What was it about Tristan Dugray that drove Rory so crazy?_ Was it his presumptuousness? His gigantic ego? His irritatingly smug smirk? Or was it something shallower like his intoxicatingly handsome good looks? His paradoxically relaxed, non-committal stance? His masculine jaw line accentuated by his piercing blue eyes…

Rory fidgeted in her seat, those blue eyes had not left the road since she had said _okay_ and now the lack of attention was driving her batty in much subtler ways. The car suddenly felt very cold and Rory felt a chill run up her legs, her stomach and her breasts making her feel altogether entirely underdressed. Self-conscious all of a sudden, Rory looked out the side window hoping that Tristan would not notice that the very thin dress did little to hide her emerging arousal. Leave it Tristan… God she hated him… She, Rory Gilmore hated him… right? So why was a very familiar tingle causing her to squirm in her seat?

Rory stole a quick glance at him not wanting to seem anxious. Those polished-steel eyes of his were just that, steel. Hard and unblinking. She had hurt him, insulted him at least. _Damn it, was he at least going to blink?_

Unable to stop herself, Rory imagined _those eyes_ roaming over her body, soaking in all the details of her form… and it excited her. Rory continued to look out the window embarrassed as she felt her nipples tighten, the thin straps of her dress were doing little to hold the dress up and she felt most of the weight tugging down on her naked chest. Each bump on the road just another clumsy caress and her nipples were just responding accordingly… Rory did her best to let the gasp that escaped her lips not be heard.

Was that his steady gaze on her chest she was feeling or was she just imagining it? The dress was certainly thin enough… could he see? Rory thought about crossing her arms protectively but instead breathed in deeply pushing her chest out to strain against the material. Rory closed her eyes thinking back to the many times she had felt Tristan's gaze on her during school. Just what had he been looking at? Did he imagine her naked… and if he did, did he like what he saw? Rory was surprised at the whirlwind of images floating in her head but found herself not wanting to stop them. In class, did his eyes travel down her back and follow the curve of her hips? Did his gaze go lower? Did he ever wonder what she wore underneath her Chilton skirt? What would he say if he knew that sometimes she wore very little if not nothing at all?…

Rory had to remind herself to exhale as she pressed her thighs together. Surely Tristan had noticed that her chest was slightly heaving, she was having a bit of a hard time keeping her breathing slow, the shallow breaths coming in tiny bursts that enticed her even more. By now he had to have torn his gaze away from the road for just a second and noticed that the hem of her dress had ridden up just a little bit showing off more of her smooth creamy thigh…

Rory was dying to check if Tristan was looking at her but didn't dare tear her gaze away from the side window. If he _was_ feasting on her, she didn't want to discourage him. The fact that they had argued any possibility of a conversation to a dead stop did not even register at the moment.

Rory tried to see Tristan on the reflection of the glass but it wasn't working very well. She looked forward trying to appear regal and composed and stole a quick glance his way when she felt he wasn't looking. He wasn't looking. _Damn him!_ She shivered slightly as she felt cold icy draft of the A/C roaming on her bare shins. Then, with her coat folder over her lap, Rory did something completely out of character… she opened her legs; only slightly, not enough to catch Tristan's attention but enough that it had to be a deliberate movement on her part. Rory looked away again as she felt a blush covering most of her body but did not press her legs together. Silently, she felt the icy fingers of the A/C caressing her, a striking contrast to the heat that seemed to be building deep inside her. Another shiver ran through her, and then another. Rory closed her eyes as the frosty tendrils touched the inside of her thighs and seemed to linger on the curvature of her pelvic bone tickling her, playing with her. Driving her absolutely batty…

_Is this what girls felt whenever they got inside Tristan's car? Rory_ wondered willing the caresses to continue _. How many girls had been inside this car?_ It didn't matter; _she_ was in the car now. Going out on a date Tristan had paid four hundred dollars for. Rory wondered if that should insult her somehow. It really didn't, but had quite the opposite effect; it made her wonder what Tristan expected from her… Did that make her a bad girl? Rory's hand tightened on the coat as she fought the urge to slam her thighs closed. She felt herself so close… She could almost hear Tristan calling out to her, telling her to ride out her pleasure alongside him… _Rory… Rory…_

"Rory?"

"What?" She jerked suddenly coming out of her daze. Tristan noticed that she looked a little flushed.

"We're here."

 

***   *   *   ***


	3. Chapter 3

***    *    *    ***

Rory was right about to say something to Tristan about having enjoyed the opera when the waitress came bringing them water, ready to take their orders.

_That was not five minutes!_ Rory thought as she scrambled to pick up her menu to hurriedly glance at the items.

"Two burgers," Tristan spoke catching Rory by surprise, "Medium, with everything on them."

Rory's dagger-shooting eyes did not go unnoticed by Tristan who finished the order with a snap,

"A root beer float and a diet coke." letting the waitress make a hurried escape. She had seen presumptuous boyfriends overstep their boundaries before; it was obvious to her that the brunette did not like someone ordering for her and the waitress wasn't going to stay for those fireworks. This one looked like a firecracker!

"I know!" Tristan admitted holding up his hands in surrender, "Bad Tristan… but you looked like you were about to order a small salad with light dressing and I know that is not what you eat."

Rory's anger shifted to suspiciously curious, "How would you know what I eat?"

"I've _seen_ what you eat" Tristan couldn't help but smile at the indignant look in Rory's eyes, "I _did_ go to school with you"

"That was years ago, a lot has changed since then"

"I believe you, but not that" Tristan said it with such certainty that Rory was almost pushed back on her seat. As she looked at him fold his napkin over his lap she couldn't deny that he was right after all. She was also right from what she could see though, much indeed had changed; she just couldn't put her finger on what exactly.

"I don't drink diet coke." She tested hoping for the smallest of victories.

"It's for me." Tristan said collected, though unable to control the corners of his lips from twitching up when Rory quickly looked away in humiliated defeat, she _loved_ root beer floats.

"I did not bring you here because of their salads" Tristan continued his defense, "They make the best burgers you have ever tasted."

When Rory's eyes did not cease their suspicious squints he added in his most sincere, "If I am wrong, I will let you smother me in my sleep. You can hold the pillow… I get to pick the bed."

Rory laughed this time. It wasn't a hearty laugh but an embarrassed, breathless laugh that was more seen than heard. It was a beautiful laugh that lifted Tristan's spirits and made him forget what day of the week it was.

Tristan couldn't remember an evening where he had more fun that did not involve sex. Rory was _that_ engaging; those sapphire-blue eyes of hers were so full of vivacity it was hard not to get lost inside them. On the matter of his favorite subject, it wasn't that he _hadn't_ thought about sex with Rory, it was actually taking an incredible amount of self-restraint not to jump over the table and take her right there inside the restaurant, but at this juncture of the evening it was far less than a possibility. Tristan smiled at the realization that he was not bothered by that.

"What's so funny?" Rory asked him from across the table, her own lips mimicking his subconsciously.

"Nothing…" Tristan held up his hands, "a thought just popped into my head… completely inappropriate, sorry."

"Well now you _have_ to share!" Rory's eyes lit up, her mind racing… _inappropriate thoughts? About her perhaps?_

"I was thinking… that I'm out of underwear." He lied. Rory could tell he had lied, but that didn't stop her from choking on her water mid-laugh.

"Are you okay?" Tristan offered her a napkin trying to keep from laughing. Rory nodded taking the napkin from him to dab at her very crimson face.

"When do you go back?" she asked as soon as she was able to.

"Couple of days" Tristan's face grew somber at the thought of having to go back to military school. The corners of his mouth dropped a little and the color drained from his eyes. Rory decided all of a sudden that she didn't like to see him like that and thought quickly,

"Well, if you can live with a tighter fit and a little floral print you can borrow some of mine to hold you over?"

Tristan laughed, which made her happy. When Rory noticed him blush a little she wondered if perhaps he was imagining what her underwear looked like. Rory then surprised herself by thinking that she wouldn't be too terribly embarrassed to show him…

Tristan leaned back a little looking on, signature smirk plastered all over that smug face of his. As Rory looked up into his eyes wondering just what he could possibly be so proud of, she thought she saw something… it had always been there, but she never noticed it before. Her pulse quickened and a blush crawled into her face and she had to look away before Tristan had a chance to recognize the look mirrored in _her_ eyes. The waitress came back then, and damn him, damn Tristan straight to hell and back if those weren't the best smelling burgers she had ever smelled. She could almost hear him chuckle, but did not dare to look up.

 

***    *    *    ***

 

Tristan was having a hard time concentrating on the road. Rory was fidgeting in her seat again. When she fidgeted, her breasts bounced lightly, and they had been driving him crazy all night.

As they had walked up the steps into the Opera House earlier that evening, the moonlight had shone through Rory's thin dress, and for couple of seconds, for an all too short a moment, Tristan was allowed a perfect silhouette of Rory's body underneath her dress.

The perfectly rounded curves of the underside of her breasts caught his attention immediately, and he could have easily lost himself in images of Rory bare-breasted on his lap accepting his passionate kisses… He certainly would have lost himself had he not also noticed that he could see the tight lithe lines of her stomach before they disappeared into the shadows of the dress only to reappear as an outline of the small of her back and the beginnings of her…

Tristan's breathing stopped, his chest tightened and his mouth went dry. He never indulged in the idea that Rory could be so… uninhibited, but there she was, walking up the steps in front of him, a perfect image of composure. _Had she done this before?_ His erection strained inside his pants and he nearly lost it as he followed the sight of her long naked legs and found nothing resembling underwear underneath…

And now, here she was, fidgeting in her seat.

Images of her pale milky thighs made his pulse quicken… Thoughts of taking her rosy-colored nipples in his mouth…

_Shit_. He desperately wanted to kiss her pouty lips, playfully lick her earlobes… hear her breath come out in tiny timid breaths as he ran his fingertips lightly up her arms to lift the thin dress straps off her shoulders…

"It's not gonna happen" Rory cut the silence.

"Excuse me?" Tristan turned a bright crimson. _Had he said any of that out loud?_

"I'm not kissing you goodnight" Rory said rebelliously, "I can see you licking your lips; I know what is going on inside that perverted head of yours. It's not going to happen."

_If you only did know…_ Tristan thought swallowing the leer fighting to form on his lips. Tristan braved a quick glance at his date, "A little pompous are we tonight?"

"Just when I know that I'm right" Her eyes were wide and playful. Despite her reservations about the evening she had to admit, she was having a good time.

"How do you know that my lips just weren't dry?" Tristan fell into the banter easily, comfortably.

"Because they're not dry! They're…"

She wanted to say _perfect_ , _wonderful_ , _scrumptious_ , but that would have implied that she had been looking at his lips all throughout dinner and he would surely pick up on that, but she had, she hadn't been able to help herself. Tristan had an incredibly sexy smile, a smile that he was giving her now in between glances to the road.

"…never mind." She took the easy way out.

"So… You're kissing me goodnight?" Tristan tested the waters.

"That's right. I mean No! I'm not!"

Tristan nodded driving in silence. _Warm_ , Tristan decided, not boiling over yet… but definitely not cold or room temperature. He liked his odds. Rory fidgeted in her seat, Tristan thought she looked adorable when she fidgeted.

"—and you're okay with that?"

"Well, it's not like I have a choice in the matter now do I?" Tristan did his best to sound indifferent.

"No, you don't."

"Because apparently, you've been calling the shots tonight"

"Right." Rory furrowed her brow but answered without thinking.

"Because this whole night has been under your terms" Tristan continued.

Rory wasn't sure where he was going with this; she had thought she was a step ahead of him. Now, she felt like she had to hurry up to just catch up.

"Umm… That's right."

"Okay then" Tristan said simply, no flourish, he just continued driving.

"Okay." Had she won? What had just happened? Why did she not feel like she had won?

"Umm… Do _you want_ to kiss me goodnight?" Rory bit her lip in anticipation; she didn't have to wait long for Tristan's answer.

"No."

"Oh…" Rory exclaimed feeling two inches tall. She wanted to say something, but didn't know what. _Still_ , she thought, she should say something and was right about to open her mouth when she felt the car slow down,

"Here we go" Tristan said cutting the engine and getting out of the car before Rory even realized they were in front of her house. The rejection she felt just then almost hurt.

"Umm… I was sorta thinking…" she began timidly as they walked up her porch, hell, she was a Gilmore… Stubbornness was built into their genes, "that I wouldn't be too adverse to umm…"

Tristan stepped up to be closer to her, eyes blazing like pools of ice water,

"Yeah?…"

"That umm… I wouldn't—" Rory stumbled as her foot missed one of the steps a bit but recuperated before Tristan could offer her some help. She silently climbed the rest of the way and gasped when she turned around to find Tristan inches from her, his face easily within licking distance… _those lips of his were definitely not dry…_

"Rory?" His voice was throaty… dry. Rory swallowed for him.

"Yeah?"

Tristan brought his face even closer to hers; he brought his lips close to her ear, their cheeks almost touching. Rory closed her eyes,

"On my terms next time."

Rory opened her eyes in time to see the smirk on his smug face as he pulled away. His eyes sparkled with repressed laughter as he climbed in his car and noiselessly pulled away leaving her open-mouthed and confused.

 

***   *   *   ***

 

"Well?" James asked the young man slumped on his father's leather chair.

"Well what?" Tristan did not look up from the book he was reading. He could feel the old man looming over him but refused to make eye contact.

"Well what… How was your date with Ms. Gilmore last night? It's pretty early…" James looked at his watch before adding a bit excited, "Is she here?!"

"She's not here"

"Oh… Pity. I'm sure your descriptions don't do her justice"

"Right…" Tristan replied going back to his reading. The old man pressed,

"The Group" James read the cover, "Ah yes… McCarthy's quite forgettable commentary of 30's upper class. With all due respect Mr. Tristan, you could probably pick up more useful information by watching an episode of Sex and the City than from that piece of sexist rubbish."

"This was the book _she_ was reading when I first asked her to the Chilton Winter Formal" Tristan explained from behind the book.

"The one she refused to go with you…"

"Right"

"Ah… and what was she reading last night that caused you to drop your testicles and become her reading club gal-pal? Certainly that is a book I'd like to take notice of."

"Smart ass"

"So you are _not_ going to tell me about her?"

"There is not much to tell" Tristan tried to ignore the old man.

"So you two didn't…?"

"Hey!" Tristan called out annoyed but determined not to let up on his reading.

"I'm just asking, bit of a first isn't it?"

"Your point?"

"Well… if that is the reason why you are grumpy… I mean I'm sure it can be remedied…"

Tristan finally looked up from his book.

"Your reputation does precede you after all…"

"Did you just come here to be an ass?"

James entertained the thought for a minute, "I was wondering if perhaps Ms. Gilmore would like to join us for dinner? You _do_ leave tomorrow."

"I don't think that is a good idea."

"Oh… okay…" James walked over to the doorway a little crestfallen. He decided to try once more,

"Tristan?"

The young man met the elder's eyes.

"How was it? The kiss"

"It didn't."

"No?" Well this was something James hadn't expected.

"I had my reasons"

"Oh… I see" He did not though, "Are you not planning on seeing Ms. Gilmore again?"

"No. I'm not."

 

***    *    *    ***


	4. Chapter 4

***    *** ***    ***  

"Why didn't he kiss me goodnight?" Rory cried out entering the kitchen in a huff. 

"Honey, I'm sure I don't know" Lorelai stirred her coffee methodically. She was tired of answering the question. It had been two days of answering the question, two very long days, "maybe your deodorant stopped working and he was just being polite." 

"I don't think so…" Rory muttered but nevertheless took a subtle whiff of herself for good measure. 

"Well… maybe he had a cold sore and was being considerate" 

"Eww! No!" Rory stepped away from her mother disgusted, but came back a minute later just as Lorelai was about to take a sip of her coffee. 

"Why didn't he want kiss me goodnight?!" 

"Oh!" Lorelai burned herself. 

"I mean, wouldn't you want to kiss me? I'm kissable. Right? Don't you want to kiss me?" 

"Not at this particular moment, no" Lorelai tensely teased 

"What if you were him?" Rory asked again. 

"Oh, well then yes. Though were I him, I would have some serious questions about my wardrobe…" Lorelai looked down at the frayed T-shirt that read "Four Less Years!" 

Rory started to turn away but turned back to her mother, who spoke up first, 

"Darling, call him" 

"But-" 

"Call him! You're driving mommy crazy!" 

Lorelai thought Rory had left, but then again, 

"I thought you didn't like him?" Rory caught her mother mid-sip this time. 

"Well," Lorelai swallowed, "I'm not too fond of _you_ right now and you are still living so I'm sure he will too, for the time being. So take advantage of mommy's temporary lapse in judgement and call him before you give me an aneurysm!" 

Rory answered by turning around and going back to her room. 

Lorelai was tired. Being the "cool" mom was exhausting work. She wanted nothing more than to go with her gut and say, 

_"_ _Honey, I don't like this, I have a funny feeling in my stomach which may or may not be Kirk's Tuna-Doritos casserole surprise but I am going to go with mother's intuition and just say you can't see this kid. Period. End of story."_  

She wouldn't do that though, she was Lorelai, the anti-Emily. 

_God, no wonder my mother always looked refreshed and invigorated_ , thought Lorelai, _that woman never bothered to try… she was definitely not cool, "cool" would not step within 100 feet of that house…_  

Lorelai _was_ a cool mom though, 

"I _am_ a cool mom." She whispered to herself. So as the cool mom, she had to come to terms with the fact that Rory apparently liked this "Tristan"… even if Rory had tried, for two days, to convince her otherwise… 

_"_ _I don't like like Tristan… but I don't hate him either… I mean I don't think I hate him…"_  

_"_ _Tristan?" Lorelai had tried to clear things up._  

_"_ _Okay, I know I said that I hated hated him, but maybe I just sorta hate him… Just one hate"_  

_"_ _It sounds like you like him like him"_  

_"_ _Maybe just one like"_  

_"_ _With one hate…?" Lorelai looked on feeling a knot in her stomach._  

_"_ _Yeah…"_  

_"_ _Hon? ...don't those two sorta cancel each other out?"_  

_"_ _You would think so wouldn't you?..."_  

"Sure honey." Lorelai muttered to herself with a heavy sigh, "you don't like him like him, just please don't convince yourself that you love love him…" 

"Mom! I gotta go!" Rory exploded out of her room. "can I take the jeep?" 

"Wha?" Lorelai whipped her head around. 

"I gotta go! Tristan's flight leaves at ten, he's already left for the airport!" 

"Where am I?" Lorelai looked around the room, "Are we in the series finale of Friends?" 

"Mom!" 

"Yeah, go." Lorelai dug through her purse and tossed her daughter the keys, "Be careful!" 

The door slammed shut before Lorelai could finish in a resigned whisper, 

"…with you heart." 

   
   
***    *    *    ***

 

Rory drove like a mad woman arriving at the airport in record time. She followed James's directions through the maze that was the busy airport to the counter of the obviously exclusive charter the DuGrays used. Rory made a mental note to kiss the butler when the clerk at the counter recognized her immediately from the butler's descriptions and let her in handing her a ticket to give her access to the terminals. The price of the ticket, next to the words _non-refundable_ made Rory gasp in surprise. Feeling a surge that could only be described as panic Rory ran through the airport stopping only once to make a hurried bee-line at a restroom when an idea popped into her head. At the large mahogany doors of the exclusive terminal, Rory caught her breath while the attendant checked her ticket then held her breath again as the doors were opened for her. 

…and then, there he was. 

Tristan sat alone in the large vacant terminal. Large floor-to-ceiling windows covering one whole side did an excellent job of casting miserable looking shadows across the room. The effect was spectacularly depressing. A small, sad, half-empty leather duffle bag lay slumped at Tristan's feet. It completed the look. She had never seen him look more miserable and alone. Rory did not know what she was expecting to see when she went through those doors, but this was definitely not it. Slumped in the corner Tristan did not notice the soft footfalls of the timid girl approaching. 

"Hey…" Rory softly called out when Tristan did not look up right away. 

"Rory?" Tristan frowned in recognition. It wasn't exactly the reaction Rory had been hoping for. 

"I called your house, "Rory looked at the ground suddenly at a loss of words, "your… umm... James told me you had already left." 

Tristan had been caught in a vulnerable position and his defense mechanism kicked in, 

"and you came here to make sure I got on the plane?" Tristan stood. 

"Um, no… I..." 

"You came hoping to catch the tail-end of my farewell speech?" 

"No… I-" 

"You came to throw yourself at my feet and beg me not to go? 

Rory opened her mouth but closed it right away feeling blood rush to her face, what he said wasn't exactly true, but it still made her wonder what indeed she was doing there. 

"Why are you here Rory?" 

"Um, our date…" 

"The opera?" Tristan clarified. 

"Yeah, um… at the end…" Rory looked at the door nervously waiting for someone to break their privacy. Nobody came. 

"Rory?" Tristan grew curious. 

"Why didn't you kiss me?" Rory spat out before she lost her nerves. Her ears burned. 

"Is that why you came?" Tristan pressed raising an eyebrow. 

"-I mean did I stink? Or… or… was I just such bad company you couldn't wait to get rid off me or-" 

"Go home Rory." Tristan sat back down slightly amused. 

"What?" Rory stopped cold. _What had he said?_ "What did you say?" 

"Go home…" Tristan repeated, "Go to your bag boys and marry one of them. Live the small town fairy tale." 

The sarcastic, superior air in Tristan's attitude was taunting. 

"No" Rory choked back the impulse to turn back. 

Tristan dismissed her with a half smile, "The date never happened." 

"Why are you saying this?" 

Tristan looked thoughtful as if he were fighting with himself to find the right answer. Exhaling loudly, he stood up to put the most weight that he could behind his next words, Rory looked at him through glassy eyes, not yet teary, but already lacking the confidence they had just minutes ago. 

"Because I have to" 

"I don't understand" Rory tried to look into his eyes. 

Tristan ran his hand through his hair in apparent frustration, 

"Rory, whether that night had ended like you wanted it to…" he looked into her eyes then, "or even better, like I did…" 

Rory blushed and looked away self conscious, but he wasn't done speaking so she turned her eyes to him once more, willing him to continue. 

"Regardless of how that night had ended, it would not have changed the output of me, having to be here today… leaving… just the way I felt about leaving. Frankly, I don't need another reason to think about and miss you." 

Tristan's eyes were a blue so intense Rory only had one thing she could say in response, 

"Oh…" 

Tristan could only manage a sad, pathetic smile as he sat back down, "Go home Rory, it was nice to see you." 

Rory really didn't know what force had possessed her to make her come this far. She didn't understand what was driving her now but she felt that she couldn't leave this as it was. It, whatever "it" was, was unfinished. There was a feeling lingering in her stomach telling her that this might be the last time she would ever see Tristan. There was a certain level of safety in that thought and right now she desperately needed closure or she would go nuts with wonder. Rory drew courage from this safety now and used it. 

"Well… Here then" She pulled her hand out of her purse and offered her closed fist to Tristan who looked up confused but held out his hand anyway. Rory passed the tiny article into his hand, careful to fold his hand over before he had a chance to see what it was. 

Tristan did not need to see what it was. 

"…I just thought… In case you run out again" Her face was a bright crimson and she took a step back looking at the ground. In her mind she had laughed at his reaction… _What the hell had she been thinking?_  

Tristan felt the nearly weightless material with his fingertips awkwardly finding a delicate scalloped edge. His pulse quickened. _These, were not of the everyday white cotton variety._  

"A goodbye present?" his eyes lit up with blue fire, "Well… if you're offering… I would much rather have the one's you have on now." His lips curled into a comfortable, taunting leer. It was amazing, he thought, how quickly she could get him to forget that there was a world around them… at this point all there was to him was the blushing brunette in front of him, and he was fine with that. "Trade you?" 

"I'm… umm… not wearing any" Rory felt small beads of sweat forming on the back of her neck as she said it. She was very much aware that she was standing in front of Tristan Dugray with nothing underneath her skirt and all of a sudden feeling entirely underdressed, closed her stance pressing her thighs together, "I took them off before I came in. They're the ones I gave you." 

"Really?" Tristan's voice was deep. His eyes flashed down to her skirt as if looking for evidence to what she had just admitted to before meeting her determined yet frightened eyes once again. 

"Yes" Rory swallowed hard feeling a painful lump travel down to her stomach, "Do you want to see?" 

Now it was Tristan's turn to swallow. He sat up making Rory take a timid step backwards. 

"Show me." 

"Kiss me" Rory stammered more nervous than she wanted to appear. 

Tristan stood up; it was such a deliberate statement of a gesture that Rory gasped a little feeling any sense of safety evaporate in the room. 

_So this is what playing chicken with Tristan felt like…_  

"Do you know what you are doing?" Tristan's voice came from deep inside his chest. It was more warning, than question. 

"Yes" Rory's bottom lip trembled a bit and she fully realized by the look in Tristan's eyes that she had not fooled him one bit. She tried again, a little more firmly, 

"Yes" 

Tristan looked into Rory's eyes and immediately recognized the innocent, rebellious fear that had been her trademark back in Chilton. Gone was the secure, confident girl he took to the opera a couple of days ago. In her place was the Rory Gilmore of his memories, the one that fueled his fantasies still… Delicate ripe fruit, ready to be plucked and enjoyed, 

"On my terms" 

"Okay…" Rory timidly agreed. 

Tristan noticed Rory nervously glance between his hand holding her underwear and the door. If she was willing someone to enter, it wasn't working. Her legs were a little shaky and she seemed to be at a loss on what to do with her hands… and yet she was still there. She was determined; Tristan had to give her that. 

"Do you want these back?" 

Tristan opened his hand letting the lavender wispy thing dangle from his index finger having a very good idea what Rory would do. She didn't disappoint. 

The sight of Tristan holding up her underwear for anybody to see was beyond embarrassing and Rory reached for them wide-eyed. Tristan almost laughed. He used Rory's momentum to spin her around and with his hands on her hips he leaned over and kissed her. 

Tristan half expected Rory to jerk her head back and slap him; instead, after the initial shock she kissed him back, ravenously sparking a reaction inside both that caused them to jerk back surprised and breathless. 

It was _that_ intense. 

There was an energy in the room that Rory was suddenly acutely aware of, a heat radiating from Tristan that was almost palpable. It was obscene, and it was reaching for her. She felt it like she felt the tingles on her fingertips, her toes, ears… among other places. 

Rory took a timid step backwards glancing at the giant windows behind her before adjusting her direction and taking another step back. There was no denying that in a matter of seconds she would be pinned to the wall behind her so she sensibly diverted Tristan towards the rich, burgundy-colored curtains near the corner. Just because she was about to do something in a very public place didn't mean she was ready to have it be a spectator sport. 

The look in Tristan's eyes made her legs turn to jelly. He covered the distance between them fluidly, expertly… with a confidence that left Rory slack-jawed and wide eyed. 

"Do you know what you are doing?" Tristan threw the disclaimer out there one more time for Rory's sake. 

"Your terms… right?" Rory managed to meet his eyes, but had to clench her teeth to keep her lips from quivering. 

Tristan had little doubt in his mind that Rory would run out as soon as he inched near her so he kept his eyes open as he leaned in, ready to catch her if she tried to flee. Except she didn't jump, she didn't run away. Sure, her body trembled as he loomed over her and he felt a shiver himself when he noticed goose bumps form on her bare arms, but she did not move. She smelled of baby powder and coffee and her shallow breaths held the tiniest hint of something Tristan only recognized too well. That now gnawed at his self-control and his face felt hot as he refused his body's impulse to ravage Rory on the spot. Just inches away from her face he realized he was fighting a loosing battle, he could try to play the gentleman, but when Rory languidly opened her mouth to welcome his kiss all rules and self-imposed restraints were broken and tossed out the window. 

The kiss felt like a title wave. 

Rory sighed into Tristan's mouth as she felt a wave of relief wash over both followed by a powerful wave of recognition as her body responded to his touch. 

Rory and Tristan stumbled backwards as she felt her knees go weak. Feeling Rory slip from his grasp Tristan reached down and picked her up reeling in the junior high sensation of his hand on her ass even as he lost his balance. 

"Ugh!" Rory coughed out as her back was slammed against the wall behind her. The curtains billowed around them in flashes of burgundy and black giving them a sense of false security both hungrily desired. 

At the other end of the terminal, the large mahogany doors noiselessly opened and a well to-do couple was ushered in to board the readied plane by a perfectly manicured stewardess. Right away, the stewardess noticed the slumped leather bag lying abandoned near the corner and hesitantly shook of the initial sense of dread that took over. She was not flying for a commercial airline anymore after all. 

_Somebody would not stow a bomb in a three thousand dollar Gucci duffle_ , she reassured herself. The owner was probably just grabbing a cocktail, or taking a leak. 

The stewardess leaned over the microphone on the desk to announce final boarding when she caught movement in the corner of her eye. 

_Damn it…_ She glared at the shrouded figures behind the curtains. _Always in my fucking shift_ … She stepped back from the microphone clearly annoyed and left to get a magazine for the flight. She'd give them ten minutes, but if they weren't done when she got back, too bad… she was interrupting! 

"What was that?!" Rory gasped out keeping her eyes tightly closed. 

"Nothing… Never mind…" Tristan tasted the skin of Rory's slender neck as he lifted her shirt. 

"Tris…" Rory tried again 

"They'll go away" Tristan pushed Rory's bra up above her breast leaning in. He silently cursed the thick curtains; he would have loved to see what Rory looked like in the light. 

"They?!... Ugh…" Rory gave in. The feeling of Tristan's warm lips finding their way around her left nipple was indescribable. So incredible she couldn't think straight. She knew that she should have been thinking about what a colossal mistake this was and how much she was going to regret it when it was over, but she couldn't think straight. She couldn't think of doing anything else but reach for a fold of curtain beside her and draping it over Tristan with a frustrated gasp to give him the privacy to continue doing what he was doing. 

Rory whimpered in frustration as she reached with her other hand for the curtain. Her writhing quickly got to Tristan who impatiently grabbed the curtain behind him and pushed it into her hand, "Here" before returning his hand to Rory's thigh where he relished in the almost painfully slow pace of inching it higher under her skirt. 

Her skin was amazingly smooth and despite her writhing and whimpered mews she was still cool to the touch. Her skin reminded him of- 

"A porcelain doll…" 

"What?" Rory breathed out trying to steady herself against the wall with her free hand. 

"Nothing nothing… sorry" he left her breast to drink from her lips once more. 

"Mm, okay…" Rory got in between hurried kisses. The cold AC on her exposed left breast made her agonizingly sensitive. Her right breast ached for release and equal attention but she could not avoid focusing on Tristan's hand gaining ground confidently underneath her skirt. Right underneath her ass now, his hand skillfully teased and caressed her with the lightest of touches. It was enough to drive a pouty moan from Rory which drove Tristan on. 

Tristan brought her knee up wrapping her leg around him. Rory, already on tip toes, struggled between letting go of the curtain to wrap her arms around Tristan for support or staying teetering for balance and keeping them concealed. In the end, modesty won despite her aching calf muscle which threatened to cramp at any second. She had Tristan's body propping her up, including his very obvious erection throbbing against her stomach. 

Knowing that she was doing _that_ to him made Rory's head swim, it made her feel sexy, desirable, "doable" as Lane would say… she certainly felt "doable," especially when she focused on his palm now on her bare bottom… She almost ruined the mood by laughing when he roughly exclaimed, "Shit!..." when he noticed that she _was_ naked underneath her skirt but she managed to keep herself in check. She would have laughed, but his fingers moved quickly catching her off guard as he touched her places Dean had only touched before, but never like this… never with the authority and finesse Tristan possessed… 

Instinctively Rory raised her leg to give Tristan better access fully aware now that she would come to regret this later. Tomorrow, she would be stricken with panic as a dictionary full of "what ifs" presented itself to her and she refused to meet her mother's eyes at the breakfast table. She was supposed to be the good girl… the girl that didn't let some boy finger-fuck her in an airport terminal. 

"Oh god!" Rory cried as she felt Tristan's fingers slip inside her a little deeper. She _was_ being… "Oww…" She didn't want to repeat it, even in her thoughts it sounded too lewd, too gross, too licentiously erotic that she would spontaneously combust is she dwelled in the thought much longer. Instead she buried her face in Tristan's neck and tried to raise her leg a little higher… 

Tristan had never felt anything like Rory before. He had never had to work so hard to keep himself in check. Already, he had almost lost it twice, first when he realized that she hadn't been lying about going commando, and then again when his fingers reached their destination and he found Rory slick with desire, 

"Fuck…" 

Rory wasn't cool to the touch everywhere Tristan discovered. In fact, she was downright burning hot inside and Tristan had to close his eyes and take a deep breath to keep from loosing it right there. His abs tightened as he tried counting to ten, but emboldened by Rory's breath on his neck… 

"Oh… oww!" Rory felt a sharp stab of pain between her legs when Tristan's fingers penetrated her further. Her body stiffened and she bit down hard on Tristan's neck to keep from crying out which Tristan misinterpreted for encouragement. He grunted loudly as he crushed her body against the wall with his… 

Though the sting began to fade after a minute or two, a couple of tears still escaped Rory's tightly closed lids. _Just breathe…_ she silently told herself as tears ran down her face unto Tristan where she nuzzled at the bite in silent apology. Rory dried her eyes on Tristan's shirt… she didn't want him to stop, the pressure inside her was building… she felt so good… so close... 

…Whatever Rory was doing to his neck was working wonders on Tristan. The sharp bite followed by the soothing lap of her tongue was… intense… more importantly, it was _new_ to him! Tristan really needed to be inside Rory… he was aching for her… so when she undid some of the lower buttons of his shirt to shyly trace the lines of his stomach… 

Rory's body was left spinning when Tristan pulled away from her. She blinked her eyes open in time to see Tristan going for his belt. Her stomach did summersaults. She felt dizzy and a little scared. Then, noticing what Tristan surely had missed, Rory stammered an apology feeling the color drain from her face, 

"I'm… I'm sorry" 

"What?" Tristan looked up to meet her eyes, then followed her gaze to his hands at his belt, his right hand in particular… slick with Rory… his fingertips tainted with blood. 

"Rory?" 

"I'm sorry…" her lips quivered, "I… I…" 

"I thought you'd… why didn't you…" Tristan stumbled out wide eyed feeling a sinking sensation in his stomach. He looked at his fingers and back to Rory who bashfully pulled her shirt down to cover herself, her eyes were glazed over with tears, "Are you a–" 

"No…" Rory tried to think fast. _It's nothing! It's just a scratch!_ She wanted to say but the words wouldn't form. She noticed a small blood stain on Tristan's khakis near his waist which made her take notice of his hand again. Feeling guilty and responsible she grabbed the hem of her skirt with both hands and covered his palm using the underside to wipe his fingers clean. Tristan, lost in a daze could only look on. Even now, the sight of Rory's naked legs made his stomach churn and his erection begin to stir anew. Rory, lost in what she was doing had no idea how she was exposing herself to Tristan… nor the effect it was having on him, "it's not like-" 

" _FLIGHT 107 OUT OF BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL_ …" The terminal boomed around them suddenly. 

"That's my flight" Tristan offered to Rory not really sure if it helped any. He didn't think it did, but he said it anyway. 

"You should go…" Rory let go of his hand not meeting his eyes. 

"I can get another one later…" 

"No… It's okay… go." Rory excused him. 

"I'll call you" Tristan guessed a response for her sake. 

"You don't have to" she shyly offered him an out. 

"I'll call you" He repeated with more conviction. 

" _FINAL BOARDING FOR FLIGHT 107…_ " The room echoed loudly. 

It's okay if you don't…" Rory took a small step back putting some distance between them. She self consciously smoothed out her skirt over her thighs. 

"Rory…" Tristan's voice was loaded with confused promise. 

"You have to go" She softly reminded him. Tristan opened his mouth to say something but the sound of the microphone clicking off stopped his words before they could come out. 

"Go" Rory reassured him. She hoped her words didn't carry the little-girl-fright she was feeling, "you'll call me… if you want" 

Tristan looked into her crystal blue eyes, the only color he could distinguish in the shadows of the curtains and nodded. He struggled with himself to find the right set of words that would made him feel like less of a jerk for leaving her like that but he couldn't come up with a thing. 

_He'd never work for Hallmark…_  

Tristan looked at Rory one more time memorizing how she looked at that moment, then stepped out from behind the curtains walking swiftly to the gate snatching his bag in the process. There was nobody at the terminal desk so he marched right into the narrow hallway leading up to the plane. Sure enough, the stewardess greeted him at the end of the hallway expecting him. She took his bag letting him know the tower had already cleared them for take off and would do so as soon as he was seated. The champagne for the flight was Krug Clos du Mesnil 1990 chilled at 18 degrees Celsius and would be served shortly after take off. Tristan nodded mechanically and took a seat in the back, farthest from the only other people in the plane, an elderly couple. He had tons of things he needed to think about all of a sudden, and the couple looked like they were talkers. 

*    *  **End** *    * 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? I had a blast writing this story. It had a different ending than what I originally expected to write. Back then there was a ton of "happily ever after" stories so I was challenged to make it real, and real interludes are often clumsy, interrupted, and yes, sometimes hurtful both physically and emotionally (just as often hilarious too.) I didn't want to make this a bad experience for Rory and Tristan, just somewhere in between, something teenagers might actually get themselves in. I'd love to read what you think of it. Thank you for reading it!


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